Why is a street address alone insufficient as a legal description in an appraisal report?
Correct Answer
D) Addresses come from the post office, not a survey, and can change or be ambiguous
Why this is correct: A street address is a mailing identifier assigned by a postal service, not a legally precise boundary description. Addresses can change, be duplicated, or be ambiguous, failing to uniquely identify the real estate. Why the other choices are wrong: 'Street addresses legally exist only for improved parcels, never for vacant land' is wrong; while often true, it's not the core reason. 'Street addresses are strictly confidential under federal privacy law' is wrong; addresses are not confidential in this context. 'USPAP forbids mentioning addresses anywhere' is wrong; USPAP requires identification, which includes an address, but not as the sole description. Exam tip: An address is for finding the property; a legal description is for defining it.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
Why this is correct: A street address is a mailing identifier assigned by a postal service, not a legally precise boundary description. Addresses can change, be duplicated, or be ambiguous, failing to uniquely identify the real estate. Why the other choices are wrong: 'Street addresses legally exist only for improved parcels, never for vacant land' is wrong; while often true, it's not the core reason. 'Street addresses are strictly confidential under federal privacy law' is wrong; addresses are not confidential in this context. 'USPAP forbids mentioning addresses anywhere' is wrong; USPAP requires identification, which includes an address, but not as the sole description. Exam tip: An address is for finding the property; a legal description is for defining it.
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